Member Benefits 039-1: Sand Buff Shine

You are awesome. I am so blessed to have you as my teacher. I have come a long way since I have been learning from you , and I have been playing for about ten years, only now I have no fingerprints and the beads feel so soft and wonderful. Thank you for all of your lessons! ~Karonkay >> This comment was originally posted here: Sculpted Iris Flower Beads

Being new here, the 1st lesson I did was your Aurora technique – om goodness – wow and a bunch of other happy sounds could be heard as I buffed and the beads began to shine :)  I wanted to share a sanding aha moment – the first few beads I started with 320 then 400 w/d then went thru my stack of micro pads – the colors were very bright and beautifully bold – for the next set of beads I only used the stack of micro pads and wow again! Totally different and yet the subtleness of them struck me with awe. Thank you Cindy so much. ~Tantesherry >> This comment was originally posted here: Faux Metal Mokume Gane

I too got the mica shift mood and did some great ones thanks to your tutorial. I especially loved the clay on the bottle trick. It makes the slicing down so much easier. And you are totally correct in the sanding and buffing makes all the difference in the world. I had a couple that didn’t even look like the shift happened until I sanded them. Way cool technique and your tips make all the difference (as usual). ~Laurel-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Easy Mica Shift

Cindy, thanks for showing us how to work with this Micro-mesh product on beads.  I’ve used similar sanding pads to prep wood items for decorative painting and they definitely are easier than using sandpaper by hand. They also last a really long time. ~Linda-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Micro Mesh Abrasives for Polymer Clay

Okay, I have just made a felt buffing wheel (kind of like Cindy’s), and my goodness what a shine it brings out!!  Thanks again Cindy for a wonderful idea ~Sandra-J >> This comment was originally posted here: Dremel Tool Buffing Wheels

OK, so I actually did buy sandpaper with all good intentions, but I have to admit – I’ve been using a glaze in spite of the rough spots that form around the holes when I take the skewer out!  I’ve been duly admonished and will incorporate sanding into my repertoire!  Thanks! ~Sue-P >> This comment was originally posted here: Sand Your Polymer Clay Beads

I’m so glad I found this thread and your site. Wonderfully helpful. ~Vicki-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Best Polymer Clay Finishes

Hi Cindy, I wanted to buy some micro mesh polishing pads as shown in your video. One of the search engine results offered a video showing how these are used, imagine my surprise to find myself back on your website! As I already have this video I was able to watch it again, but this time noticed your comment about looking into a rock tumbler for polishing beads. I discovered a ‘kid’s tumbler’ and thought it might be robust enough for polymer clay. It worked beautifully, only problems – 1. took rather a long time; approx 1 day for each grit, with 3 or 4 grits recommended. 2. Rather noisy, but if you have an outhouse or garage you won’t be disturbed. The result was fantastic and I can thoroughly recommend it. Enjoying your tutorials Cindy, I’m wondering how long you can keep this up, coming up with new ideas every week. Amazing stuff, well done! Best wishes. ~Marion-R >> This comment was originally posted here: Rock Tumblers for Polishing Polymer Clay Jewelry Beads

Using the micropad system has entirely changed my view of sanding, and I find I no longer dread it, and dream of sanding assistant fairies. ~Jocelyn-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Wet Sanding Polymer Clay Tutorial

Thanks Kat and Cindy! Wow, what a thorough response Kat! Thanks so much! I’ve been baking my beads at 265 for 1 hour. I initially started them at 265 for 1/2 hour but then after lots of reading on the blog increased the time. Some of those beads were baked at a lesser time so that may have been the issue. That search button has become my best friend! LOL!!  Well, I finally stopped tumbling and tried buffing the beads with my dremel and the attachment that Cindy told us about in one of her tutorials. Most of the beads came out just gorgeous and had a finish like glass. Some of the smaller beads that I rolled with plastic gloves turned out well, but had a slight cast to them. I have since tried using wet/dry sandpaper glued back to back in with the stones with a 600 grit in one tumbler and an 800 grit in the other and am doing them in stages. The batch that I did yesterday came out beautifully. I tumbled for about 2 hours at each level and they came out powder free! I am so excited! What a feeling when you open your barrel and rinse out your treasures and find they are just what you wanted. I have to buff tomorrow and will let you know the final results. I am confident they will be just what I am looking for. Now if I can get my mischievous cat to stop stealing my beads! My husband found a bead in the basement today, little stinker. ~Laura-Z >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Tutorials

You are a student’s dream teacher. I can’t wait to try this. I am at my daughters in Peoria IL today had appt with specialist yesterday so we spent the night. Couldn’t sleep so I slipped downstairs to the study to get on the computer so I could watch this awesome TUTE!!! Had a moment of sure panic. My computer at home is set up to remember pass word and I forgot what it was. Thank God I finally remembered so here I am in a student’s class room of glory. I can not wait to try this at home. Due to the flame I will try this one without grandkids around. I am so glad you did this tute for us. I think there will be a lot of shine in everyone’s lives real soon. Have another great weekend with the kids Cindy and Doug. Shine away with lots of Uuuuuugggggs. ~Peggy-B >> This comment was originally posted here: UV Epoxy Resin Video

I think one of the reasons I am so addicted to the faux agates technique right now, is using the moulds, they come out so smooth initially that it is very easy to get a nice finish. Plus is another use for scraps which I love! ~Carlee-N >> This comment was originally posted here: Faux Agate Domed Coin Beads

I’ve been (newly) sanding during the last couple of months… boy do I have a lot of respect for anyone who thoroughly polishes their work!! It’s definitely a labour of love, especially those of you who have patience sanding round beads. With my first attempts I ended up with flat spots, and uneven shine. Sanded a little too much and removed a nice layer of color on a favorite Jupiter bead… oops :(   It’s nice to hear these sanding pads last a while. Once my sandpaper runs out, I think I’ll be ordering these next. ~DJ >> This comment was originally posted here: Sanding with Micromesh Abrasives

I found I could not afford to buy the UV oven or the resin, too pricey here in Australia, so I am using the direct sunlight method, with Lisa Pavelka Magic gloss, which is what I could get here, and find it works perfectly for me. I am really pleased with it and would never have done this particular tutorial about Faux Dichroic had it not been for Cindy’s lessons, so I have learnt something good that works for me from it. ~Elizabeth-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Pendants

YIPPEE!!!  I love the look of the natural shine you have managed on the earrings as well as the shape of both the pendant and the earring. I also like the ear wires that you have made…. in fact I think I like just about everything you show in this preview and am looking forward to Friday! ~Susan-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Blend and Switch Technique

Yesterday I watched the Micro Mesh Tutorial again because one of my friends gave me a set for my birthday. I wrote the grit on each one with a permanent marker to make it easier for me in case they get out of sequence and I can’t find the little card. It’s working very well. ~Bonnie-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Mixed Media Art Sheets Technique

Look at all those beauties! Cindy’s UV resin tute was just the thing for many members… to take that ‘next step’ with their clay… to give it that glossy, glassy shine. There was “resin” talk around here for a long time, but only a few ‘brave souls’ seemed to be trying it — I know I was “afraid” of resin until Cindy paved the way with her video! As soon as I saw it, I was able to place my own order with Ultradome! (Well, okay, I ordered from the sister site… Epoxyjewelry.com.) ;D Thank you, Cindy…and congratulations to the star students who have their beautiful work on display!!! ~Phaedrakat >> This comment was originally posted here: UV Resin Polymer Clay Jewelry

Fantastic! Brenda, I also have a stash of old costume jewelry and other odds and ends (from cleaning out daughter’s bedroom) that would look very cool. Wouldn’t baking faux opals in the mold be great without lots of sanding!!! ~Koolbraider >> This comment was originally posted here: Silicone Molding Techniques

Oh Cindy, that’s just gorgeous! I love it! :) I’ve always liked using pearl clays for Jupiter beads too, especially when you sand them a lot so you see the stripes of colour hidden inside the extruded clay – it’s like magic how they appear. This technique is similar I guess. And it’s one of my dreams to see the aurora borealis too, it’s so beautiful. I haven’t been so well this week and haven’t touched my clay for a while, but this may well be the inspiration I need to get myself back into my studio! Thanks! ~Silverleaf >> This comment was originally posted here: Aurora Polymer Clay Technique

This was worth the wait! Will have to go get a small can and try it on some of my small beads. Wonder if I can get the grandkids to do them since it isn’t as messy… lol. ~Pollyanna >> This comment was originally posted here: Finishing Wax as a Bead Polish

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